The New England Patriots have many needs heading into the 2023 NFL draft. Wide receiver, at least according to fans and many experts, is one of them.
However, the Patriots may not feel strongly about this year’s group of wide receivers.
There are wide receivers to be had, as Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Boston College’s Zay Flowers and USC wide receiver Jordan Addison are three of the top targets in this class. In fact, New England is reportedly going to meet with Addison on Tuesday.
New England could also benefit from having a top pass-catcher on the roster, as they continue to rework the offense. Nevertheless, ESPN’s Mike Reiss threw out the possibility that the Patriots don’t view this year’s wide receiver class as a promising one.
He expanded on this in his recent notes column:
The Patriots’ top picks are 14th, 46th and 76th, and areas the team could use a boost — cornerback, offensive tackle, tight end and edge defender — are considered some of the stronger positions in this class. Receiver and safety, however, are generally viewed as lighter on talent than the norm.
The Patriots will still continue to meet with wide receivers, as the position is one of the many that need to be filled on the roster. Whether or not they actually take one remains to be seen.
